cult to know whether or not that was his
primary assignment after all. His unrelenting efforts to keep out of the
category seemed to be encountering more and more determination to push
him in that direction.

Of course, this was merely the way it looked in his more bitter
moments--such as the present. Normally, he had a full awareness of the
paramount importance of his position, and was determined to administer
it on a scale in keeping with that importance. His decision could affect
the research in the world's major laboratories. Not that he was a
dictator by any means, although there were times when dictation was
called for. As when a dozen projects needed money and the Congress
allotted enough for one or two. Somebody had to make a choice--

His major difficulty was that active researchers knew it was the
Congressional Science Committee which was ultimately responsible for
their bread and butter. And the Senators regarded the scientists, who
did the actual work in the laboratories, as the only ones who mattered.
Both groups tended to look upon Hockley's office as a sort of fulcrum in
their efforts to maintain balance with each other--or as referee in
their sparring for adequate control over each other.

At that, however, things research-wise were better than ever before.
More funds and facilities were available. Positions in pure research
were more secure.

And then, once again, rumors about Rykeman III had begun to circulate
wildly a few days ago.

Since Man's achievement of extra-galactic flight, stories of Rykeman III
had tantalized the world and made research scientists sick with longing
when they considered the possible truth of what they heard. The planet
was rumored to be a world of super-science, whose people had an answer
for every research problem a man could conceive. The very few Earthmen
who had been to Rykeman III confirmed the rumors. It was a paradise,
according to their stories. And among other peoples of the galaxies the
inhabitants of Rykeman III were acknowledged supreme in scientific
achievement. None challenged them. None even approached them in
abilities.

What made the situation so frustrating to Earthmen was the additional
report that the Rykes were quite altruistically sharing their science
with a considerable number of other worlds on a fee basis. Earth
scientists became intoxicated at the mere thought of studying at the
feet of the exalted Rykes.

Except Dr. Sherman Hockley. From t